DNA replication Flashcards
Why is DNA replication considered semiconservative?
because when the cell replicates, each cell will contain one strand of DNA from the original cell, while the second strand of DNA will be a new, replicated strand
In which direction does DNA replication occur?
5’ to 3’ direction
What is the origin of replication?
- the sequence that signals where replication should start
- prokaryotes have one origin of replication, while eukaryotes have multiple
What is the enzyme that comes to the origin of replication and starts unwinding the DNA?
helicase
What is the enzyme that prevents the closure of the DNA molecule once it is unwound by helicase?
single stranded binding proteins (SSBP’s)
Which enzyme prevents supercoiling downstream as the helicase is unwinding the DNA?
topoisomerase-it cuts and relaxes the DNA to prevent supercoiling
Which enzyme starts at the origin of replication sequence and lays the RNA primer in the 5’ to 3’ direction?
primases
Which enzymes is able to bind to the RNA primer and start synthesizing DNA?
DNA polymerase
-it also proofreads and removes RNA primer
What is DNA polymerase?
the enzyme that binds to the RNA primer and starts synthesizing DNA. It also has ability to proofread and remove the RNA primer
What is helicase
unwinds DNA so it can be replicated
What is the leading strand?
refers to the strand that is synthesized continuously into the widening of the replication fork
What is the lagging strand?
refers to the strand that is not synthesized continuously because it must wait for the replication fork to widen before beginning to polymerize
What are Okazaki fragments
The lagging strand fragments that contain both RNA and DNA
What enzyme linkes Okazaki fragments together after the RNA primer is removed?
DNA ligase
What is theta replication?
refers to prokaryotic DNA replication; as the circular DNA is replicated, one original chromosome strand falls off from the other (which creates an image that looks like the greek letter theta)